The Voice of Industry (Vol. 1 No. 03 - 12 June 1845)

An Acrostic.

Voice to voice the echo beareth,
Over mountain, hill and plain,
In gentle tones it ever speaketh
Cheerfully of freedom's reign—
Even now the day is dawning.

Oppressed sons of honest toil,
Freedom soon shall be your song,

Its notes of life, hope and gladness
Nearer now are borne along;
Deep and loud let them swell—
Union let the watchword be;
Strife and discord send away,
Trust in God, he'll set you free—
Rouse then brothers, Now, Today;
Ye are Men, then why delay.

- Ada

A Tool of the Lowell Corporations1

"An Operative. Last evening a female, about 45 years of age, came into our office to purchase a paper. She informed us that she had been an operative in the Lowell mills, nineteen years, and that her health had been good all the time. She said, 'my health is better now than it was when I first began to work in the mill.' She had during the time saved about $2000, which she had safely invested, we think, in the purchase of a farm; and beside she had given her parents who were poor $1150. She had been married and had one son, who was now absent; her name was Mrs Clark. She has worked several years in the Boot mills, and is now about to commence work on the Massachusetts. Her industry, economy and contentment deserve the highest eulogy." - Lowell Courier

"The editor of the Lowell Courier has found a female factory operative who, by toiling like a slave, and denying herself the common comforts of life, for nineteen years, has laid up money enough to buy a farm; and yet she continues to work in the mill. We have heard of prisoners who had been so long deprived of the blessings of light and liberty that they preferred to continue confined the remainder of their days." - Bee [likely a reference to The Boston Daily Bee]

And this same editor is the tool sent by the Lowell Corporations to the Massachusetts legislator, to uphold and foster those rotten hearted, inhuman institutions; who can legislate and give them power to require twelve or thirteen hours labor of their operatives—and this is all just—but when seven or eight thousand operatives ask these privileges taken away, or the number of hours reduced—"this is a subject upon which we cannot legislate"—and this man, the conductor of a public journal which professes to protect the people's rights—"a whig of '76!" It is a libel—what cares he for the thousands of poor men, women and children in Lowell and other manufacturing places, who are wearing out their lives in want, poverty, and degradation, if he can find one in five thousand who has laid up 2000 rusting dollars by depriving herself of the intelligence and comforts of life, to hold up as a talisman for the safety of this slavish system.

Such a man is willing to sacrifice the best interests of our people by defending and perpetuating a heartless system of manufacturing that is filling up the coffers of a few merchants and speculators, and fast reducing the working people of this country to the same deplorable condition as those of Old England. Has he got brothers and sisters? If so, why don't he encourage them to go into these money-making and health preserving hospitals, and spend "nineteen" or twenty of the best years of their lives—"save $2000 and improve their health."

Our Association.

We lay before our readers, this week, the Preamble to the Constitution of our Association, which sets forth some of the fundamental reasons that induced us to commence the publishing of the "Voice of Industry."

What more laudable undertaking can men worthy the name of humanity be engaged in than that of advocating reforms, which are calculated to restore to mankind those natural rights, so indispensable to their moral and physical elevation and Christian progression.

There is nothing which calls so loud upon the philanthropist and Christian as the reform in which we are engaged. The sectarian bigotry, political demagogueism and party proselyting of the present day; shrink into meanness, when contrasted with a cause so purely benevolent and humane in its character and purposes; yet thousands—nay, millions are yearly freely offered as sweet incense upon the unhallowed alters of the political and sectarian mammon, while the cause of freedom and the oppressed famishes for want of support. And all this vast sum from—whom? rich men and women who never earned a flannel jacket, or a calico dress; and yet, are clothed in broadcloths and silks? No! from the poor industrious working people—tillers of the soil—mechanics, and factory operatives, who toil on many of them in want and poverty—sneered at, neglected and treated with more indifference than the beasts of our fields. Yes, fellow workingmen, and sisters of industry, we are building meeting houses, and providing means for the dissemination of hundreds of ecclesiastical dogmas in the land—we are supporting hundreds of political and sectarian presses, to fill the country with contention, strife and discord. We are squandering our scanty substance, in following foolish injurious fashions, to ape aristocracy; or if aristocracy has a scheme; we are ready to act the spaniel and receive "the kick," our V's and X's are free, for this is popular, in fact we are spending our energies, influence and hard earnings in fabricating and supporting a system of things which is making dupes and slaves of us, and beggars of posterity; and thus digging the pit of our own degradation. But notwithstanding all this prodigality, it is almost impossible to find one thousand workingmen and women who are willing to take and pay for a paper devoted to their true interests—who are willing to help themselves and their fellow laborers by aiding the great cause of labor reform.

Workingmen of Fitchburg read the Preamble to our constitution, and give the subject a serious and candid consideration, and then let us see how many are ready to call at our office and subscribe for stock in this paper, at $5 per share payable one half down, and the remainder in installments, as the directors may see fit to require; for which you will be entitled to proportionate representation, and access to such a reading room as our encouragements will allow of our establishing.

Every intelligent workingman must see the importance of supporting their own cause. Idlers, partisans, and speculators, will not assist you—[how] can you better do it, than to co-operate with us, by taking stock in our Voice; or if not able for this; spare one dollar per year, and subscribe for it—by so doing you will be adding to your own treasury, for which you will receive two fold yourself and transmit a blessing to posterity.

Will you do it?

Preamble.

In view of the alarming extent, and rapid increase of sordid, selfish and isolated avarice—the almost universal lust for political and factional power; with all the various forms of unholy aggrandizement which characterize the age; which are filling our fair world—prepared as a fit inheritance for man—with sin, disease, war, and contention with their concomitant train of seductive vices, and heartless crimes. We a portion of the workingmen of Fitchburg feel it a duty incumbent upon us as men, worthy the name of Christians, philanthropists and lovers of the violated rights of mankind, to form ourselves into an Association, for the purpose of establishing a weekly publication, devoted to the true interests of the industrious workingman and woman; as a ready and efficient medium through which they can advocate their physical, moral, and social elevation—enter their heartfelt protests against all systems of political, social, or ecclesiastical aggression; and inculcate and disseminate all those principles which are in accordance with the dictates of true philosophy, religion and the better feelings of human nature. Also as a means of friendly intercourse between us and our brother workingmen, in other parts of the country. And finally as an auxiliary in the great cause of human reform, which is now agitating the working community—in promulgating the principles of peace, love, charity, universal industry, and universal happiness among the children of men.

Anniversary Week.

Seldom has Boston been visited with such a phalanx of talent, moral courage, and true greatness as convened in that city on "anniversary week." The elements are truly in motion which are destined to work out a greater moral, physical and mental revolution than the world ever conceived of.

The strong band of abolitionists—in both name and deed—of New England, are making visible inroads upon the foul and heaven cursed institution of black slavery; and showing up its apologizers and supporters in their true light, before which they are shrinking back, clasping the "darling child" with a demon's love—calling upon the shades of the past, and the political, social and ecclesiastical dogmas of the present for protection.

Our temperance reformers are on the alert, in showing the causes of dissipation; rescuing the fallen victims and slaves of alcohol—and bringing joy and hope to the drunkards' once desolate home.

The workingmen have put on the whole armor, and entered the field of action—combating the powers of white, as well as black slavery—slavery of avarice, want, half paid and oppressive toil; which is fast making us a nation of serfs, and transmitting to posterity a beggar's inheritance.

That inhuman relic of barbarism—the gallows, is fast crumbling away before the reforming light of true Christianity, which begins to beam in upon the understanding of our people.

Our Fourier friends also are fast progressing and perfecting their system of social order and natural arrangement which will ensure a lasting blessing to mankind.

God speed these noble reformers which are working out the salvation of our race—bringing the "bread of life" and opening the "living fountain" to the thirsty, panting, husk-fed souls of men.

They are all acting together in harmony, and will usher in a day of peaceful industry, and happiness to our degenerate world—a day when the gallows shall be exchanged for the platform of Christian intelligence, and the halter for the golden chain of pure friendship—when oppression shall flee away, and the prison house be turned into the abode of liberty and contentment. What true Christian and philanthropist can refuse to co-operate with us?

Note: spelling and punctuation have been slightly modified.

• 1I've provided the heading for this article.